Was looking at doing this as we can get cheap flights to Perpignan and Toulouse from Bristol and London, but Lille or LENS ( now we FINALLY know which!) would be a Eurostar job and out of the price range.Shall have to make do with Wrecsam. I understand the France desire to take games out of the main centres of population and 'Rugby Heartland' (I notice London Welsh RUFC are taking on Stade Francais at Valenciennes FC, just down the round) but there is normally some history or embryonic development of the game in that area. Not sure this is the case here, would be good to know from anyone? Wrecsam is a long enough journey from Cardiff so can imagine that being quite frustrating for treizistes in Canet,Haute-Garonne,Cote d'Azur etc

Was looking at doing this as we can get cheap flights to Perpignan and Toulouse from Bristol and London, but Lille or LENS ( now we FINALLY know which!) would be a Eurostar job and out of the price range.Shall have to make do with Wrecsam. I understand the France desire to take games out of the main centres of population and 'Rugby Heartland' (I notice London Welsh RUFC are taking on Stade Francais at Valenciennes FC, just down the round) but there is normally some history or embryonic development of the game in that area. Not sure this is the case here, would be good to know from anyone? Wrecsam is a long enough journey from Cardiff so can imagine that being quite frustrating for treizistes in Canet,Haute-Garonne,Cote d'Azur etc

absolute disgrace - it's quicker to travel from Wrexham to Lens than from Carcassonne and the other heartland areas (by road) - what a joke !

I doubt there will be a big crowd, even with all the freebies. But if the FFR13 are guaranteed to have their costs covered, the game is on TV and a new audience is exposed to RL, it won't be the worst thing in the world.

Personally, I'd love to see the Australian play an end of season Test match v France in the northern region. Lens (and Lille) are very close to Fromelles, where the Battle of Fromelles took place. Along with Villers-Brettenoux, there was a substantial loss of Australian lives, including many early Rugby League pioneers. Newtown's captain and NSW representative, Herbert Bolt lost his life at Fleurbaix. I think an Australia v France match in that region would be an excellent way to acknowledge and commemorate the sacrifices they made. 2016 would be good as it would be near the 100th anniversary but if it is one year out before the RLWC, the Aussies won't travel

yeah that would be a good gesture but it was rumoured a while back that Aus v NZ in Lille may be a possibility - that sounds a great idea to me - or how about a French 13 v Commonwealth 13 in the area to commemorate the Great War ?

absolute disgrace - it's quicker to travel from Wrexham to Lens than from Carcassonne and the other heartland areas (by road) - what a joke !

For f*x sake, sick and tired of people whining endlessly about this, its completely within the remit of FFRXIII to promote the game outside its heartlands. Just start planning and looking forward to the world cup games in Perpignan/Avignon. Let's also be realistic outside of those two areas French fans aren't turning out in great numbers for games over there, under 2000 in the heartlands of Lezignan for magic weekend......thats a disgrace and I don't hear u and your whinging wing man Canetman jacking off over that one.

For f*x sake, sick and tired of people whining endlessly about this, its completely within the remit of FFRXIII to promote the game outside its heartlands. Just start planning and looking forward to the world cup games in Perpignan/Avignon. Let's also be realistic outside of those two areas French fans aren't turning out in great numbers for games over there, under 2000 in the heartlands of Lezignan for magic weekend......thats a disgrace and I don't hear u and your whinging wing man Canetman jacking off over that one.

do me a favour mate - don't talk utter rubbish

you can't use the M62 corridor as any yardstick to matchday crowds - the demography of France is a million times different to that of the english heartlands - 2000 is just about capacity for Lezignan and the FFR got it right as the best venue for that day

similarly they chose Toulouse for the play-offs and a full house of about 4000 were present which was great

and I will 'whine endlessly' about a ridiculous decision to hold the only international of the year in a dump like Lens - the FFR do not have a remit to drive the fans away from their sport ! any sane bunch of administrators would be doing everything possible to attract fans not choose to #### around at a venue 8 hours drive from the nearest LER town let alone further flung towns such as Lezignan, Montpellier & Perpignan etc

Look i have to say a guy is sticking his neck out, look 600 turned up to a game in league HEARTLAND in carcassonne, this is not ok. Simply put something has to improve.

well, maybe if the FFR13 lead by example and stopped trying to put people off the game instead of encouraging them then things would improve - having only ONE home international in a calendar year simply isn't good enough - since Larrat decided to step down the game has been in limbo in France, even i'm beginning to lose interest !

if the governing body can't be interested then why should I take the trouble ?

Are you guys for real, what a joke. Heartland teams, pia, asc, limoux getting what not even 1000 to a game and that is heartland. It is pathetic, honestly the game will never go anywhere but village small town. I know former limoux coach blinkhorn he told me the metality is the reason why the game has stood still for 50 years.
Honestly a guy gives them a tv deal, big chance of credible semi pro league, what is the worst go back to the elite village comp if it fails?

Sad news! Looks like my old team Montpellier first team have thrown in the towel, looks like they'll just have their team in division three! Money promised to them halved, half way through the season, it happens every year!

Are you guys for real, what a joke. Heartland teams, pia, asc, limoux getting what not even 1000 to a game and that is heartland. It is pathetic, honestly the game will never go anywhere but village small town. I know former limoux coach blinkhorn he told me the metality is the reason why the game has stood still for 50 years.Honestly a guy gives them a tv deal, big chance of credible semi pro league, what is the worst go back to the elite village comp if it fails?

there you go - you make the same mistake as others of comparing an english heartland club to one in france - crowds in france will never be like SL because RL in france IS essentially, a 'village game' - the level of play is about the same as mid table english Championship at best and usually much lower - what kind of crowds to Donny & the like attract ?

do not make subconcious comparisons with the english game - france IS different just as the NRL is different to the ESL - just take the french game for what it is

but deciding to play an international anywhere north of Brive is an absolute joke !

I am not trying to tell you french boys to suck eggs, The problem with this year's international program was the nrl and there players association got there way and had the 4 nations + tours cancelled so this not only included the aussies and kiwis, but the pacific nations. Have a look at the program fiji to play in sydney as cook islands, tonga and samoa don't even have a end of season international.
I cannot for the life of me see why england play france 2 games at home(sorry cannot see wales getting past france), why not play the prelim game in lyon or bordeux this would promote game.
To me catalans are no different to the other superleague teams, money is a problem. I have no doubt given the hate between usap and catalans for corporate dollar things are very tight in a population of 120 thousand people. What many teams in the nrl have done is on the road games, manly took a game to perth and the central coast. Given there are 14 home games plus possible challenge cup, look at lyon and montpellier.
The dayan proposed super xii, look to me it is only positive. But it seems to me he is trying to jump all 8 hurdles at once just too fast. I would still have elite but shortened, with more derbies in draw. Then try the proposed league, but have merged heartland regions plus the big city teams from up north but have 8 rounds with one tv game per round. To me i think he should be pushing for a french superleague tv deal with toulouse added this super xii later down the line.
How are ticket sales looking for the world cup games in avignon and stade gilbert brutus.

I am not trying to tell you french boys to suck eggs, The problem with this year's international program was the nrl and there players association got there way and had the 4 nations + tours cancelled so this not only included the aussies and kiwis, but the pacific nations. Have a look at the program fiji to play in sydney as cook islands, tonga and samoa don't even have a end of season international.I cannot for the life of me see why england play france 2 games at home(sorry cannot see wales getting past france), why not play the prelim game in lyon or bordeux this would promote game.To me catalans are no different to the other superleague teams, money is a problem. I have no doubt given the hate between usap and catalans for corporate dollar things are very tight in a population of 120 thousand people. What many teams in the nrl have done is on the road games, manly took a game to perth and the central coast. Given there are 14 home games plus possible challenge cup, look at lyon and montpellier.The dayan proposed super xii, look to me it is only positive. But it seems to me he is trying to jump all 8 hurdles at once just too fast. I would still have elite but shortened, with more derbies in draw. Then try the proposed league, but have merged heartland regions plus the big city teams from up north but have 8 rounds with one tv game per round. To me i think he should be pushing for a french superleague tv deal with toulouse added this super xii later down the line.How are ticket sales looking for the world cup games in avignon and stade gilbert brutus.

the NRL etc has no affect on the FFR13 ! what's to stop the governing body of french RL actually 'governing' and making decisions ? ok, Larrat & Dayan between them concocted the idiotic Lens game but why stop there ? it doesn't matter who the french play ! why not invite the Scots or Irish teams over for games ? or anyone for that matter ! I bet Steve Mac would jump at the chance to play in france again ! The FFR13 isn't beholding to the NRL,ESL or the RFL or anyone else - if they want to invite other nations over to play then what's to stop them ?

with respect, the game doesn't need 'promoting' in Bodeaux or anywhere else that is non RL territory, what the french game needs is strengthening in the current 'heartlands' ! as I stated previously we need to stabilize and reinforce the game where it is traditionally strongest, maintain that base which is slowly eroding and then spread to other areas but we must not drive away or alienate the existing fans for Petes sake !

the Dayan proposals are pie in the sky unless money can be found to prop the ideas up - lovely principle, just as the ESL was/is but look at how many SL clubs are stuggling and that's WITH the generous SKY package

haven't seen the games advertised yet - Avignon should get about 15K and the GB about 12K capacity which will be good

they have to fulfil the criteria set out by the RFL ie. have a big enough ground etc the renovation work on the existing ground will start in january apparently in time for the SL applications for 2015 - if a bigger stadium is required for larger crowds the games can be played at Stade Toulousain - many chairmen from the top SL clubs have visited or had meetings with the TO13 boss and they are all very keen on their SL membership it seems